Students attend final professional development training day at Roxbury Community College; Hear from Frank Mruk, Executive Director of Center for Smart Building Technology

BOSTON (September 23, 2022) – Earlier this month, eight participants of the Mass Save Clean Energy Pathways Internship Program completed the professional development portion of their internships. The program, unique among utility energy efficiency programs, has gained national attention as a model for how to diversify the energy efficiency workforce by offering real, tactical training and connections for individuals selected to participate.

On September 12h, a group of the interns toured Roxbury Community College's Center for Smart Building Technology as part of a day-long professional development course capping off the training portion of their three-month internship. Each session of their professional development training has aimed to show the participants the many ways in which they can get involved in the energy sector and find the best route to a career that works for them. Moving forward, they will continue to do field work with a vendor partner until the cohort formally ends on October 7.

Launched in 2021, Clean Energy Pathways sees interns from diverse backgrounds with a commitment to young adults of color, LGBTQ+, low-income, non-native English speakers, women, and residents of environmental justice communities and connects them with a paid three-month internship to learn alongside HVAC, weatherization, building management systems, and EE technicians, with the goal of full-time employment upon completion of the program. Interns are paid a living wage of $20 an hour during their internship, and also receive mentorship and professional development training from the Mass Save Sponsors.

"Easing the barriers to entering the clean energy industry is a top priority," said Ruth Georges, Supervisor of Equity, Strategic Partnerships, and Workforce Development for Eversource Energy. "Many young adults living in urban areas are interested in pursuing a future career in clean energy but don't have access or resources to get started. Our goal is to bridge that gap. It's an honor to watch their confidence and skills grow over the course of the program and to watch them find personal success."

The Cohort 2 interns, 14 total, reside in different environmental justice communities across the Commonwealth including Boston, Lawrence, and Springfield. For many of them , English is not their first language. This program offers them the unique opportunity to work side-by-side with a small business vendor, doing field work and gaining real time experience that can then be translated to a career immediately upon completion of the program. For some, this eve means transitioning into a full-time role with their business partner after they graduate.

"It is vital that our energy efficiency workforce reflects the diversity of the customers and communities we serve," said Amanda Formica, Energy Efficiency Strategy Senior Analyst for National Grid. "There is a place for everyone in the clean energy transition and this program helps young adults set out on a path to finding that right place for them."

The Mass Save Sponsors are actively recruiting young adults interested in participating in future cohorts of the Clean Energy Pathways. More information and application details can be found at https://www.masssave.com/community/clean-energy-pathways.

About Mass Save®
Mass Save® is a collaborative of Massachusetts’ natural gas and electric utilities and energy efficiency service providers including Berkshire Gas, Cape Light Compact, Eversource, Liberty Utilities, National Grid, and Unitil. We empower residents, businesses, and communities to make energy efficient upgrades by offering a wide range of services, rebates, incentives, trainings, and information.